Tiger Eyes
by naturelle
Summary: She holds contempt, not for others but for herself. Will someone help change her mindset? Takes place after X3. AngelOC, some Ryro. Rating may change later on.
1. Prologue

A/N: I don't own the X-Men, only Mai Ling a.k.a. Tiger and maybe other made-ups along the way. I might make some references to other creative works and take a few liberties here and there. Also, I don't claim to be a literary or fanfic genius, so please be kind. I'll try my best!

Anyway, on with my 1st fanfic in years…

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The varying shades of brown to gold reflected itself in the gleam of the naked object that lay in her hands. It felt cold against her bare skin. _Cold with intent, like a murderer. _There was something foreign and distant about it that she couldn't quite grasp. Yet, every inch was perfection. Perhaps if she wielded it properly, she could become perfect, just as it was.

Her gaze was fixed on it still, contemplating whichever resulting actions would be the best. She could stare at it for hours, her nemesis in that silver. Her eyes flickered for a moment. She looked around. _No one._ Her train of thought went back to its origins.

Tears lined the pathways of her face. Uneasy, but her decision had been made from the very beginning. All she needed was courage to counteract her hesitance.

_It was so quiet._

She peered at the reflection and its brilliance again.

Would she miss it?

_She doubt._

But it was so much a part of her, it was impossible not to. _Stop it. Enough already. That's right. Enough of this misery._

Gently, she pointed the tip in her direction. There was no turning back now. It was drawing nearer and nearer. Her image blurred in the metal. It was engulfing her ever so smoothly.

Then, everything went dark.


	2. Coincidence

A/N: Thanks for the review Miss.Allerdyce!

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He awoke to the grinding sound of drills in the cement.

_Lovely public works scheme. _The all-time favourite government's solution to a failing economy.

Not that he cared. There were other more unnerving things to take care of. _Like this headache for instance._ He placed his fingers against the right temple of his forehead. He pressed down, as though trying to suppress the noise. Each throb pounded against his skull. Clearly, it hadn't healed fully since the day he was knocked out cold in Alcatraz.

Or how about that his surroundings were as shabby as dwellings in the sewage? Sleeping on cardboard boxes amongst the dumps. _Just like old times, huh?_ He smirked.

_Dumb shit. You almost had him, there and then. And what did you do? Blew it, screwed up, whatever._ He frowned and rubbed his eyes.

He didn't care anymore now about anything in the world.

_Why am I not dead?_ He stretched and yawned. He rose to his feet and shook his jacket.

_About time I looked for something to do._ Quietly, he accepted his fate, the very outcome of a certain nasty incident that happened a month back. He had no one to turn to anymore.

_Looks like it's just you and me now, ain't it?_ He addressed his alter-ego before taking off into the streets.

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Shops lined both pavements along the never-ending road that stretched on into the horizon. Cars zoomed past and everyone headed in their own direction, be it though walking with laughter, skipping across, shuffling frantically or trudging against the brick-hard walkways.

_Everything has a cadence_, he thought to himself. He clicked and snapped his trusty Zippo to the rhythm of his footsteps and his heartbeat followed.

_God, I really need a pack._

He found his way into a provision shop. Eying the multitude of sticks behind the counter all bundled up in plain-looking boxes, he mumbled for a certain brand to the man at the cashier. The man squinted at him as though trying to recall something. He looked down, avoiding the man's glance and pretended to count his cash for the purchase.

_Boy, I sure have earned my popularity._

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Drawing in the deep scent of his bad habit, he exhaled the billows of fumes and leaned against the wall of an alleyway. He closed his eyes and thought of her suddenly.

_Did she do what she did at the Labs?_

_No. Don't think about that._

Maybe he did care about something, or rather, someone, afterall.

He felt shadows against his face. "Hey, isn't it that Aussie freak from TV?"

That word stung his heart. Whenever he thought he'd forget, the past always caught up with him. He opened his eyes to a rude shock of a throng of boys in a gang.

All at once, the leader lunged at him, pinning him against the wall. "I'm gonna cut yer throat out, ya bloody mutant," he sneered. The rest grinned as the leader drew out his knife and pressed it against his cheek.

The strong stench of beer plagued his nostrils, reminding him of things meant to be forgotten. It made him sick. He glanced at the leader. Weren't they afraid of what he could do? The mere flick of his wrist could scorch them. Surely they had seen it on TV? He wanted to scream at them and tell them to cower at his feet and lick the ground in his glory.

But all he could manage was a feeble, "Fuck off."

A sharp pain bloomed from his gut as he collapsed on his knees and coughed. Air rushed out from his lungs as he took another jab. Why wasn't he doing anything?

_Wuss, wuss, wuss,_ the inner part of him taunted.

"Not so tough now, eh? Pretty boy!" The leader proceeded to spit on his face.

_Go ahead, beat the shit out of me. I don't care anymore. Maybe I've just given up on life. Here, take it, it's yours._ He felt their reigns of blows on him.

"Get away from him," a fresh voice hissed. It cut through the air like a blade. The gang spun around.

He jerked his heard up and at once, he caught her brilliant gaze.

_No, it can't be._

His mouth was wide open. Her eyes flashed dangerously at the gang. Immediately, they dispersed and fled out of the place, like a hit-and-run accident. One of them called her a murderer.

She glowed furiously like an avenging angel in his eyes. Amongst the dimming of his vision, she was the only bright orb that remained in the background. He heard her calling his name again and again like a plea.

"Tiger…" he whispered as he faded into unconsciousness.


	3. Anywhere But Here

A/N: Thanks so much for all the reviews guys! This is going to be a rather short one, I was thinking of making it sort of a transition chapter. Song reference to Suede – Metal Mickey (sorry, couldn't help myself!).

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"What?" he laughed as soon as she spoke.

"There's nothing funny about working at the butcher's. At least it's a decent job," she replied, annoyed.

"She sells hearts. She sells meat!" he crooned in his tuneless voice.

"Ha ha," she rolled her eyes. "Anyway, what's been up with you?" she asked, changing the subject.

He almost choked on his food. "Haven't you been living?"

A moment ago he was so sure of his popularity.

"Well…I haven't really been in contact with modern society for awhile," she fiddled with her hair. "I just needed to be detached, to sort things out."

"Again?"

"Yes, again," she sighed.

"Peachy."

"Anyways, back to me," he continued. "To cut the long story short, I was with the X-Men first, then I switched sides to join the Brotherhood -"

"Those names make no sense to me," she simply stated.

He ignored her, "- and don't ask me why - "

"Why?"

"So this whole thing at Alcatraz - "

"Where?"

"- we all fucked up big time which explains why I'm here being saved from gangs by girls like you," he jabbed his thumb in her direction. "Your turn."

She looked at him expressionless.

He took the initiative. "Your tiger eyes, they still hurt much?"

At this, she cringed. _Ooh, touchy subject,_ he knew.

"And I'm guessing that's a yes?"

She made no reply but just stared at him. Her eyes were beginning to tear.

He hated it when she did that to him. It made his heart sensitive just like it used to every time he caught sight of a certain 'untouchable' girl. He hoped he blew up the right lab.

"Hey, hey, hey," he spoke softly as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "I - "

"It hurts all the time, John. All the time," she looked away, as though ashamed of his glance.

"You can't stay like this. It isn't healthy."

"Says you," she scoffed.

"Where do you want to go? I'll take you."

She paused. "Anywhere but here."


	4. Quarrels

A/N: Thanks again! It may get a little light-hearted for the next few chapters, but I promise it will get darker later. A lot of Bobby-bashing, so beware.

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"This isn't what I wanted."

Hadn't they gone through this before? When she came back and for the first time, had real contact with his hand?

_Of course it isn't what you wanted_, she thought bitterly. She had the impulse to yell, _all you wanted was her, you creep! _An image of the mousy brunette formed in her mind. _Kitty, kitty, kitty-cat._

"I didn't do this just for you, ya know," she defended herself, "what about me and -"

"What about you, Marie?" he was losing his patience.

"I should've gone with John when I had the chance," she muttered. _Wait, what did I just say?_

"What did you say?" Bobby's voice rose higher in pitch and volume.

Suddenly, the door burst open and a familiar tone cheerily greeted them.

"Oh my gosh you guys, you sooooo wouldn't believe your ears if I told you who's back at the mansion now!" The girl in yellow danced about and giggled.

"Do we look like we care?" Bobby replied, annoyed.

"Bad timing, Jubes," Rogue shrugged.

Still, this failed to dampen the girl's spirits. "It's Pyro!"

Without a word, they rushed down, pushed past the crowd of wide-eyed spectators and came face-to-face with the devil himself. Beside him, there stood a beauty with the strangest eyes.

Before they had a chance to react, Storm interrupted the session and shooed them off to their rooms. She had to take care of this bizarre situation before it got worse.

_So, I've become a circus freak again_, Pyro thought.

_Why am I even here in the first place?_ Out of all the places I could have taken her to, I chose this…trash?

_No. Not the right word._

Sanctuary?

_Yeah, maybe for the few losers who actually like staying here._

Something foul tore him out of his reverie.

"What the hell is he doing here!" He could definitely make out a growl.

Storm stepped forward, as though trying to shield him from the adamantium fanatic.

"Logan, now is not the right time to -"

"The kid still hasn't answered my question, Ororo."

_Shintck._

"Didn't sound like one." His rebellious streak challenged.

"You want a severed head, bub?" Claws were aimed in his direction.

He raised his wrist, ready to ignite, but a fair hand held it down gently.

"He said, it didn't sound like one." It resonated against the walls, the tone strangely calm and pure of all malicious intentions. Her eyes held no hatred for the gruff man in front of her.

A tensed silence followed as Logan studied the girl's expressions. Storm took this opportunity to break it off. "Pyro and er -"

"Mai," she nodded in acknowledgement.

"- Mai," Storm nodded back. "Follow me to the office, now." She turned to Logan, "Come along, but watch those claws. I don't want spilt blood from a catfight on the new carpet. Got that?"

He grunted in reply.

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"He shouldn't be here!"

The angry episode continued.

Bobby had conveniently forgotten about the earlier problem. Instead, he directed it to another one.

_Game-time, break-time, game-time._

"Like you have a right to decide," Rogue snorted. All she could think about was the girl Pyro was with.

"You think he's so great?"

"I never said that!"

"That time I went looking for you at the Labs, you know what he said?"

"Shut up! I don't want to hear it!" She covered her ears as she tried to back away from Bobby. She had anticipated the worst.

"She's pa-the-tic," he emphasised every syllable.

Almost immediately, he felt a pang of guilt.

Her brows etched in pain as she crumbled to the ground, and hugged herself, sobbing uncontrollably. He tried to reach for her but she squirmed and wouldn't let him.

"Get away from me!"

"Marie…I'm sorry. I -"

"Sorry? You're sorry?" Damn right you are!" Her face swelled up in rage. "John's the one who should apologise, he ruined everything!"

She pushed Bobby's desperate grasps away. He pushed her back, as though trying to restrain her. "Calm down, Marie."

She almost laughed at his choice of words. "Get out!" she commanded, with renewed vigour.

"What?" He was in disbelief.

"You heard me, get out!" She even pointed in the direction for him. Her finger shook violently.

"Come on, Marie. Look -"

"Don't!" She turned away in disgust.

This time, Bobby obeyed, leaving her to the silence of the room, with only the sound of her heavy breathing.


	5. Settling In

A/N: Hello, sorry it took so long for an update! This one will probably be kinda light-hearted though. Thanks for the reviews, they've been very encouraging. Hope I'll have the stamina to complete this story, I usually don't. Meh.

Song reference to The Darkness – I Believe In A Thing Called Love. Not that I like The Darkness, lol.

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All eyes were upon her. She stayed silent, made no reply, but it didn't appear rude. She just couldn't say it. Not to these people she hardly knew. Even with closer friends she rarely spoke about it.

Her old friend answered for her, "She'd rather not disclose it."

Storm shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Were the girl's powers so bad as to suppress it, like a forbidden word that everyone kept hush-hush about? She didn't want to force it out of her either.

_Let her take her time to open up to you._ It had already been quite a mouthful for her to accept such changes.

She cleared her throat. "That's perfectly alright. You can tell us when you're ready to."

She tried to sound cheerful, as bright as a Sunday school teacher, but she got it all wrong. She could hear a snigger from Logan behind.

"Ok, on to you, Pyro." The tone change was significant.

"What about me?" He slouched on the chair, making himself comfortable.

"Are you staying with us?"

He hadn't decided. His job was to bring Mai here, so she would feel safe. That's all. He hadn't thought about himself for once.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." He needed a place to stay afterall, a temporary one anyway. Later, he'd move on, just like everyone else did.

"I don't want any trouble, kid." Logan warned.

"So? What're ya gonna do 'bout it?" John smirked. "Wolfie?"

"Wanna get yer puny ass fried?"

"I'm the one with the flames, dumbass!"

"One more wise crack from you…"

"And what? I'm dead meat? Pun so intended."

"Nice try. Skewered kebabs."

A death glare from Storm halted both Logan and John from furthering their argument. Mai just looked amused.

"Right. Now, about lodging."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa – Ororo, you don't actually mean you trust this kid so easily?" Logan got up from his chair.

"The Professor made this school open for anyone who needed help."

"Flame punk isn't anyone, you know that! He's Brotherhood material." He protested.

"Ex-Brotherhood," Pyro interjected.

Logan ignored him. "This maniac will burn the school down if we keep our eyes closed for one second!"

"Logan, I understand your concern, but we –"

_Click. Snap. Click. Snap._

"Cut that out!" Logan growled.

_Silence._

"He can room with me. I don't mind." Once again, Mai uttered the rare sentence.

"Damn well he's not!"

"I'll watch him." Steady as can be, she never raised her voice. "I doubt he'll stay very long." Pyro wasn't the type who hung around.

He glanced at her sideways while Storm and Logan exchanged looks.

"We don't usually mix, but if you have no problems with that, then by all means, go ahead."

"Thank you."

"Pyro, you know where the spare rooms are."

"Yeah, sure."

They got up to leave but before they could reach the door, a thought hit Storm.

"Where are your wrist-lighters, Pyro?"

"I don't have them anymore."

Storm raised her eyebrow.

"They were destroyed at Alcatraz."

"You should be thankful I'm letting you off with the Zippo." Still, she couldn't hide her suspicion. "However, if I find that they're with you at any point of time, they'll be confiscated."

She paused. "I'll get Wolverine to deal with it."

"Anytime, Wolfman."

Logan shot him a dirty look.

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"Ompf."

"Hey, watch it!"

"Sorry!" The set of perfect blue eyes continued staring at them, not knowing which one to take in first. Finally, it settled on the spiked blonde. "You're the –"

"- fireboy who had a smashing time wrecking cars at Alcatraz." Pyro finished the boy's sentence. "Yeah that's me. And you must be…Wings?"

The boy tried to shift to an angle such that his wings wouldn't show as much. "Actually, it's Warren."

"Worthington?"

The boy blushed, starting to avoid eye contact with Pyro. "Yeah, the Third."

He was about to make some smartass comment on Warren's father, when he stopped himself. Fancy having a dad like that. _Not that my parents were any better_. But this boy in front of him shouldn't take the blame.

"Nice to meet you, Warren. I'm Mai." She allowed Warren to take her hand and shake it.

"Nice to meet you too, Mai," he smiled. Perfect straight teeth under the straight Danish nose.

"Personally, I prefer Tiger," Pyro interjected.

"Hence the eyes," Warren indicated knowingly. They dazzled and danced in front of him.

She closed them for a moment, hindering its enchantment, then looked away, embarrassed. Like Warren with his wings. He hadn't spread them out yet. She had this sudden urge to see them, like an art exhibition.

"We'd like to stay and chat but she's beat." Pyro came to the rescue again.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hold you up. I'll make a move then," he took one last lingering look at Mai's eyes before heading off the opposite direction.

"Til next time, Wings!" Pyro called off into the dark.

"Warren," he faintly corrected.

That boy was part of the group that tried to wreck the Labs and kill his father. He remembered it all as anger surged within. Funny how they got off to a light start, with the boy free of all remorse for what he had done and he, pretending to ignore the blatancy of it all. But still, he found it hard to place the blame entirely on him. He was still a punk-kid, misled obviously, and most of all, he wasn't part of the gang of four that sent his dad hurling 600-feet in midair. Destroying the Labs was one thing, and something he probably couldn't care less about, but actively causing the death of his father was another.

He sighed and tried to shrug the thoughts away. It switched to Mai, or Tiger, the strange one, but beautiful with her fair skin scented like a rose, her oriental hair, her lush coral lips and her amazing eyes. _Oh yes, her eyes._ They made him shudder. Such was the sublime, it was too much for him to take.

Again, he shook off his thoughts and instead, centered his attention on the midnight sky, as he took off on flight.

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She dumped her duffel bad on the bed and emptied her contents whilst the boy on the opposite side of the room busied himself with his lighter.

"You have hots for him, don't ya?" Smirking as he always did.

She dropped the towel she was unpacking.

"Told ya," he sniggered. "Caught ya staring."

"Yeah, at his wings," she said in a rather matter-of-fact fashion.

"They call him Angel around here."

"They should." She returned to the unpacking.

"Because he's one to you?"

A towel landed right smack into his face. He threw it back at her but she dodged it.

"This confirms my suspicions."

"Hmm." She pretended to be uninterested.

_**An Hour Later…**_

"Cant explain all the feelings that you're making me fee-ee-eel…

My heart's in overdrive and you're behind the steering whee-eel!"

She groaned and rolled over to the side facing the wall. "John knock it off."

She hated that song.

"I believe in a thing called love

Just listen to the rhythm of my heart!"

He tried making his voice as nasal as possible. It cracked over the high notes.

"Eurgh, I swear you are tone-deaf!" She scrounged the pillow over her ears.

"Touching yooouuu, 'cause you're touching me-ee-ee…oooww!'

_This was gonna be a long night._


	6. School

A/N: Alright, I promise there will be a lot of Pyro and Rogue interaction after this chapter ok? Honestly! As for now, well, just bear with me a bit. Hehe, thanks again :)

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She rubbed her sleepy eyes, it felt like static.

A dark-skinned platinum blonde greeted her from the bottom of the stairs. "Good morning. Had trouble sleeping, I presume?"

"Thanks to someone who's practicing to be the next gay lead singer in a ridiculous band."

"I heard that," came the muffled reply.

Storm smiled, amused as Pyro trudged out from behind Mai and gave her a nudge. She presented two sheets of paper to them. "Here are your timetables."

He did not even touch it.

"If you're staying here, you'll have to abide by the rules," she said, strictly.

He grumbled but obliged and snatched the sheet. He peered at it gingerly. "You're shittin' me! I've got 2 fuckin' hours of Maths for a starter!"

Storm narrowed her eyes at his obscenities. "Mind your language, young man. There are little ones around." Sure enough, the doeful, curious eyes peeped out of their rooms.

"Hah, tell that to Wolfie."

But with her tight schedule, she had already gone, entrusting Pyro to show Mai around. The school hadn't changed much afterall. Same old dump, he thought.

"What've you got?"

"English."

"Bitch."

"Dick," she retorted.

Just then, a petite girl-child walked out of the wall, nearly throwing Mai off balance. She held her hand, steadying herself. "Didn't see you there!" The girl-child laughed nervously.

"Nah, I'm fine."

"Well, if it isn't Little Miss Kitten."

"Don't call me that!" She placed her hands on her hips, arms akimbo.

"Then whadd'ya want?" He sneered. "Pussy?"

Her eyes took the shock for awhile before she decided to pretend that she wasn't affected by what he said.

"Hmpf!" Indignant, she dashed through John while phasing. The weird feeling made his heart skip a beat. "Catch ya later, St. John Allerdyce."

He hated being called by his full name. The Saint was redundant.

"Come on." He motioned to Mai while his eyes remained on the girl-child as she stomped off to her destination.

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A paper note landed on her table. Surprised, she looked up from her desk and spotted a grinning girl, as bright as the sun. The girl gave her a small wave before snapping back attentively to the current teacher.

She gave a tiny smile as she carefully unfolded the prettily decorated note. Water markers framed its edges and almost the entire space was ornate with glittery pens.

_Hi!! I'm Jubilee :)_  
_Welcome to Xavier's School for blah, blah, blah…_  
_Anyway, come join me and my posse for lunch later, k?_

She looked up again. The girl eyed her, happy as ever, questioning her with a thumbs up sign. She gave one in return, causing the girl to beam.

The teacher rapped the board, struggling to get the class' attention. "Now, can anyone tell me the major themes explored in this extract of The Great Gatsby?"

No one answered.

If John were here, he would be enjoying himself thoroughly through a heated debate in a critical commentary based on the question posed. She knew, rebel as he was, like a kid who had ADD especially during lessons, a simple English tutorial could calm his nerves a million times more effectively than morphine.

She wondered how he was faring in the Maths class and grimaced. Not too well, she knew. He always had this idea that Maths was subject created for losers.

Mai remembered hearing whispers of gossip in the corridors about how John was a traitor who joined the Brotherhood.

_Traitor. _The word rustled in her ears.

Who exactly were the Brotherhood? A bunch of baddies, as the younger kids would call them? At least she had a faint idea of who the X-Men were for now, but who were the Brotherhood? Curiosity gripped her and gave her a tight stomach.

_It churned._

"Pop quiz on unseen tomorrow" was all she heard as she exited the classroom. So much for a surprise.

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Jubilee dragged the new girl forward to the lunch table where her friends sat. "Hey, girls! This is Mai Ling, she's new around here!"

_As if they didn't already know._

"So I was thinking that she could join us for our regular girl gatherings!" She got even more excited by the minute.

The girls nodded and smiled politely. One by one they introduced themselves as though it was a common ritual. Some of them she had already seen.

"Hi, I'm Siryn or Theresa."

"Hey, yeah, I'm Kitty or Shadowcat. Just don't call me anything that Allerdyce did. He was being a jerk, as usual."

"No worries, I won't," she laughed. _John will always be John._

"Marie – Rogue," she said curtly.

Mai had a feeling that the scowling girl infront of her didn't seem too comfortable sitting next to Kitty. She was trying her best to edge as far away as possible.

"So, what's your code-name?" Jubilee posed.

"Excuse me?" Then it came to her. Of course. "Oh, erm, Tiger. But I prefer Mai, seriously."

A deep male's baritone interrupted them. "Excuse me, ladies." He walked over to Siryn. "Don't mind if I sit here?"

Mai looked at the fellow Slav. He seemed terribly physically fit.

"Piotr, you know this is an ALL-girls meeting." Her hen-like tone stressed. "You can always join your girlfriend later, in other places of more privacy," she winked.

"Jubes!" The red-haired cried and her cheeks took a crimson blush.

Piotr chuckled. "Well then, good day to you ladies. And I apologise for my intrusion." He got up to leave as he kissed Siryn's cheek, initiating giggles from the girls around them.

"Not at all," Jubilee said, satisfied with herself.

"Regards to the new lady too."

Mai swore she could imagine him tipping his top-hat if he ever wore one.

"Mmmyyyyyy…Theresa, you bagged such a gentleman!" Jubilee squealed. Siryn half-smiled in reply.

"I'm done with this," Rogue said as she left the group abruptly.

"Boyfriend problems." Jubilee put a hand on Mai's shoulder, giving her a knowing look.

From a suitable distance, Pyro saw it all. She's integrating into the stupid system. He stuffed his hands into his pockets. It was such a stupid decision to come back here. _Stupid. Stupid. Stupid._

Would he lose her just as he had lost Marie?

_No._

Marie's situation was different. Mai was a good friend who'd come back to him for sure. As for Marie, there wasn't a guarantee label attached to her. _Ooh, heartbreaker._

He kicked the can on the ground in frustration. He had made himself an outcast and would forever be one. He'd better learn to live with it.


	7. An Unfinished Affair

A/N: Ok, as promised, some Rogue and Pyro interaction, but it's not going to be rosy. You have been warned…

However, I'll hint that Rogue and Pyro are quite dominant in the next few chapters following this, it could either get better or worse from here, who knows?

Also, sorry if I may be rushing AngelOC a bit. Do let me know how you feel about that, though. Thanks!

Song reference to The Stills – Retour À Vega.

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For the past few days, Mai had continued to hang around with the group she had met, although Marie was seldom seen with them.

The group had shared with her their powers: Kitty with the ghostly phasing, Jubilee with her sparkling fireworks and Theresa with her ear-splitting sonic waves, which thankfully, she didn't get a demonstration of.

"We don't need ta hear it," Jubilee had said, just in the nick of time.

Inevitably, her turn came to share, but she had nothing to offer them. No Halloween treats, no frilly packages in pink ribbons, nothing. _Just nothing._

Yet, they had been understanding enough, feigning an apology on their part, as if it was all their fault. "Oh we didn't mean to pry!"

She could see the disappointment that filled their eyes.

They had told her Rogue's powers as well, making her even more sympathetic towards her cause of getting the Cure. She had disagreed with the "untouchable" part though, she was sure she had see worse, just that Rogue didn't know it yet, thinking she was in it alone, in bearing this…curse.

_She reminds me so much of myself._

Another disturbing thing she noticed, was that Pyro too, had become a recluse, strangely reserved, shifting into varying mood swings. She had asked kindly about his welfare, to which he told her to piss off.

"Suit yourself," she added, when she left him to his own devices. It was no use arguing with him at such a time. It'd be like hitting her head against a brick wall.

One silver lining to note, however, was that she appeared to be on top of her work, at least for now, earning appraisals in essays and the sort. That's what she always did. Appear happy on the outside, but the inside was another matter she pushed away for private moments.

_Je me divise en deux. Je suis tout à la fois l'acteur et le décor._

Rogue – Marie.

_She reminds me so much of myself._

She had to be glad she was in Warren's Politics and Ethics class though. A little shy, but he taught well. It did nothing to sooth her nerves however, there was this sinking gut feeling that a dormant bad was on the verge of eruption.

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"John." She got a closer look at him now. _Same old John._ Just sporting a new dye to boost his alter-ego.

"What?" He snapped. He hated her all of a sudden. Sure, he ruined half of it. But she ruined the other half.

She looked hurt, and he felt a pang in his heart.

"Why are you back?"

"Hi, to you too." He walked off. That was she could say to him? _Why are you back?_ How the bloody hell should I know, Marie?

She followed behind. He quickened his pace, trying to lose her, but she wasn't one to give up so easily.

He halted abruptly. "What the fuck is your problem?"

She winced a little, taking the impact. Then, her face hardened. "And what's yours, Pyro?"

She had said it with such spite that he pushed her away from him violently. A reflex condition he had adopted since young, when people had been fresh with him. Just push it all away and be a man. Words won't hurt you.

_But they always did._

She yelped and fell backwards, landing on the rough ground, scraping her elbow in the process. His face was flushed with regret. But before he could make another move, a brick of ice hit his cheek and grazed it.

"Back off from my girlfriend."

His girlfriend? Since when did she take on the persona of his property?

"The girlfriend has a name, Iceman."

"Do you even remember it?" He challenged. "What kind of a name is Pyro, anyway?"

"Oh so you think yours is any better?"

"Let's settle this, once and for all, Allerdyce."

"I'm impressed." He drew the Zippo from his pocket and flicked it open. A small flame appeared. _Never let looks deceive you. _"Half-time's over, Drake."

At once, he threw a fireball but Bobby iced it. He frowned and sent a roaring flame of fiery inferno through his hands just as he did at the other occasion, sure that he would beat the stalemate, judging from the minute amount of time Bobby had to react.

He was so damn wrong.

Almost immediately, Bobby had counteracted with a streamline of gushing ice. Seeing that that the old stalemate shown its ugly head again, they cut off their supplies instantly.

By this time, a ring of kids had formed around them, betting on who would win the fight. Rogue, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen. She had gone off as quickly as she could to get the rest to help her stop this from getting any worse.

Chancing upon a minor slip, Bobby managed to throw Pyro against the wall.

"So here we are again." He iced his hand into a rock-hard fist and aimed it at Pyro's face. "As I said, you never –"

It slammed against the wall, causing a dent imprint, as Pyro broke out of his grasp and ducked. He dusted himself and mocked, "So what was it that you were gonna say again? I couldn't quite hear that."

Before Bobby throw another icicle at him, strong, metallic arms snaked around his body, restraining him from furthering the aggression. The same was done to Pyro as Mai pounced on him, holding him down with an iron grip she earned through a dark past. Angel helped her as soon as he got to the scene.

"You kids never learn, do ya!" The familiar growl they all knew and feared shook the place apart. The spectators turned on their heels and ran.

Storm didn't take it too lightly either. "Explain this mess!" She thundered, lightning sparked in her eyes dangerously.

"Bobby…was just…trying to protect me." Rogue's mouth quivered.

She had betrayed him, just as he had done so a year ago. _Fair and square._ But she hadn't prepared herself for what was coming.

"You're a bloody traitor, Marie!"

She staggered back a few steps. "How dare you."

"Speak for yourself!" Bobby argued, siding by his girlfriend.

"That's enough!" Logan roared.

They started to drag the culprits away when Pyro blurted out again. "You're double that! You betrayed your own kind and you betrayed me!"

Rogue charged towards him and slapped him with all that she could muster. He spat out blood. Storm grabbed her back before she could do anymore damage.

"Watch him," Logan yelled at Mai.

This time, they were successful in enhancing the gap.

----------------------------------------

"How could I have let this happen?" She cried.

_So many unanswered questions._

A hand touched her shoulder gently. "You couldn't have known." His sincere blue eyes met her wild, distressed ones.

She shook his hand away and turned sharply from his direction. "Don't look at me!" She covered her face and sobbed.

He was confused. What had he done?

She screamed and clawed at her eyes. He grabbed her wrists, holding them apart.

"Look at me," he commanded softly.

Her eyes were still closed.

"Look at me," he said again, patiently.

She raised her eyes, meeting his gaze, once more. She felt his warmth and concern beneath them. He reached out to wipe her tears away and cupped her left cheek in his hand.

"Don't do this to yourself."

"Don't do this to yourself," she repeated after him, as though ingraining it to her mind, as well as advising him in return.

Then, he bent down and kissed her.


	8. Last Night We Fought A War

A/N: Glad you guys like the tension. Hopefully this one will fulfill a healthy dose! And sorry about the end mix-up, it was indeed as you all had guessed, Angel and Mai. Btw, I think my alerts system is screwed for now, so I don't receive PMs or the sort, which is annoying. So, if you ever want to drop me a msg, pls use my email, it's on my profile. Thanks!

Song references:

The Stills – Retour À Vega.

Komakino – Last Night We Fought A War

Mew – 156

----------------------------------------------

_I'm going nowhere but at full speed._

What was she thinking? Hoping against all hope that John had changed and everything was alright? It was far from that.

Why did she always have to fall into the trap of chasing something that was never there in the first place, and will never be? What exactly did she want?

_What do I want?_

She couldn't find the answer.

_And then I stay there, the people seem happy to me._

She hated how everyone was so happy, so alright with life, except her. Or, at least they appeared to be. People like Jubes irritated her. Was it all a farce? She never knew how they could pull it off.

_If you knew how to suffer, I'd carry on better._

She despised the memory of John. How could he do this to her? To laugh and smile and smirk as a Brotherhood member, while she spent each day with shattered recollections, the life drawn out of her slowly, through a reverse needle-drip.

_You'd receive my letter heart-rending and torn._

_The tears of no return of a starved bitch._

What was she to him anymore?

_Pathetic._

The word haunted her day and night.

_Pathetic._

You're so pathetic, she felt the world telling her. You're left to pick up the pieces while he gets all the fun. That's what you get for playing with fire. Burnt, blinded and half-alive.

She swiped the crystal ball Bobby gave her for her last birthday off the table, and threw it against the wall. It smashed into smithereens.

_That's life. It wasn't fucking beautiful._

The door swung swiftly open as a gust of wind blew into the room. Pyro walked in as though there was a certain air about him.

Rogue looked away in disgust. "I don't want to see you anymore."

Did he ever have any regard for her feelings at all? Just letting himself in like that! Not even a simple knock or the seeking of permission. A God amongst insects, still.

"I came to apologise."

_Yeah, right. _

Somehow, he didn't feel sorry. He couldn't.

She leapt out from her bed and pushed him away. "You're the one who's fucking pathetic!"

So she heard about that. Of course.

He allowed himself to be shoved around relentlessly. Part of him felt he deserved it. The other half just accepted the consequences.

He looked at her, wanting to erase every single mistake he had made, every wound he had caused, from the scrap of her elbow to the insults he threw at her. But he couldn't.

How could you tell someone you had loved her all along? How could you express concern for her? He honestly didn't know. He was afraid to.

"I wish you never existed to me!" She had succeeded in pushing him to the doorway. She hit him again and again in frustration.

"Go back to your Brotherhood freaks!"

He winced at the spiteful word.

"I never want to see you again!"

With that, she slammed the door in his face and locked it.

He kicked the door in vain. The repulsion was building up again. He had never been more confused. Why was it ever-changing? What was happening to him?

"You're nothing more to me than a fucking coward!" He yelled.

The reaction elicited was a sudden wail and her incoherent anguished outbursts. But he couldn't care less for now, as he traced back the route to his room.

---------------------------------

"Marie? Marie?" He tapped.

"Go away."

"Please, open up. Let me talk to you."

His persistence did nothing but to annoy her. Sweet, polite Bobby, as usual. She had lost all interest in him just as he probably had too, with her. Only that he didn't show it.

_Les gens me sembles heureux. _

Again. Like everything was alright. Everything single thing was fucking alright.

She did not answer. It's done for, Bobby.

_Ca y'est c'est reparti._

It's over. A done deal. Full stop. The end. She knew he knew it.

The shuffling of footsteps outside her room faded into silence. He had given up, probably going to Storm with that pretentious, disturbed expression, claiming that he had tried, but to no avail.

_Please watch her, I'm afraid she might do something stupid._

Stupid, indeed. She could imagine the entire scenario in her mind.

Or he could turn to Kitty-cat. Crying in her arms and oh-how-smartly taking advantage of the situation. She couldn't give a flying fuck. It was done, remember?

She tossed and turned in bed, saving herself all the bad dreams.

"John," she called out. "John."

_Why did you leave?_

--------------------------------

_We're too far gone to think, to feel, my love._

What had he done again? Everything seemed to be jinxed whenever he was around.

I'm so fucked up. "No shit," he agreed with himself twice, aloud. Was this penance for his sins or what?

_I put my hands in my pocket to drift for a lifetime, I know._

_Avoiding conversations arouses frustration_

_My breathless wounded heart_

_Attractions soon depart._

He hated that he could never be with her. Yet he hated her for doing this to him.

That little twinkle in her eyes when she laughed at his sarcasm, the way she took two seconds for the smile to break out from her lips, whilst everyone else just needed one, and her delicate gloved hands that tended to her mouth, suppressing her joy. _So fucking beautiful._

_I want to go to sleep in the wake when it's all worked out._

He was so sick and tired of this life. OF ruining everything there was. But he couldn't help it. _I bear a curse too, Marie._ It wasn't a problem anymore. It was just something that couldn't be solved.

_You told me to live the life by deciding_

_But it's hard to fight when you're caught in the fire._

You want to know why I left, Marie?

It was because of you.

Sure, there was that power issue, but it was just the surface, all a show, couldn't you see that? If you actually cared to look deeper instead of hanging around with that frat-boy of yours, you'd have seen me. What I was hiding all along.

How could I stay Marie? I was left with nothing.

Tell me, how could I have stayed?

_I wish I could pull the rug out from beneath this vile scene_

_I'll bide my time, I'll wait in line_

_It's as if we've never been._

I tried to forget about you. I chose to fight fire with fire. It didn't work.

I had my fun with the mad rampage of flames and the joy of using my powers excessively. To be free at last. Was I really?

At the back of my mind, you were still there. I was trapped both ways – in school and in the Brotherhood. Nothing could change that. I've had enough with pretending, but I don't know what to do about it.

How do I fix us – if there is even an 'us' in the first place?

_I wish I could tear the heart out of your sweet chest_

_But this will is too strong._

_I wish I could rip the heart out of your sweet chest_

_But this will is too strong._

No matter what Marie, I'll still love you, despite how twisted it gets. I'm sorry, but that's just my way of doing things. I've tried to change for you, but I can't. My old-self makes me who I am. I can't forget that. I need that to keep me sane. I feed off its imperfection.

But I know, you will never understand, Marie. Isn't it funny how similar yet different we are? I used to see things in black and white, but not anymore. The world is just a big shade of grey.

You will never understand how it's like to be in my shoes, just as I will never, in yours. And you will never hear these thoughts. Ever.

_Don't you just love goodbyes?_

-------------------------------------

A lone figure stood at the gates of the school. He lifted his face to the illuminated scar in the sky. He sighed and stood for a moment in contemplation before he dragged his few items away with him.

"John, please don't go."

He whirled around. Something within him stirred.

Was he dreaming? He blinked.

"Don't go."

_I won't care for you, like I'm really supposed to._

_There are things I'll do, that could really hurt you._

I'll have to go whether you like it or not.

"For fucks sake John, don't do this to me!"

I have to. Can't you see how wrong it is? It was never meant to be any different from this.

His eyes struggled to tell her what words he could not say.

"Please don't leave me, again."


	9. Reasons

A/N: Hello guys, I'm really really very sorry about not updating for quite some time! I kinda lost momentum and am concentrating more on my 'Covenant' fanfic. Well, I hope you'll continue to enjoy this chapter, even though I may be sporadic at updates, since I'm back in school (my final year…ahhhh the STRESS!!)

Reference to Basilisk characters.

Song reference:

Lee Hazlewood & Nancy Sinatra – Some Velvet Morning

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She avoided him the next few weeks. Even in his lessons she wouldn't look him in the eye, wouldn't respond and wouldn't pay attention. He had caught her a few times doodling under the table, and he had just about reached his limit of tolerance.

She had spent the lunch-breaks in her room listening to her private airwaves of psychedelia – the type that made you feel as though you were in a bubble – reading vintage magazines and chewing on pink gum under her new glittery lip gloss. She played with the harlequin sunglasses Jubilee had bought for her from a thrift store.

Sometimes, Pyro would come in for awhile but he'd remain silent. There was something different about this silence. It wasn't the silence of a recluse, but rather, more of something within him that had snapped.

_Some velvet mornin' when I'm straight,_

_I'm gonna open up your gate._

The psycho candy music wafted into the air.

She tried to lose herself in faraway places and forget all that had come to pass. Then, the bell would ring and she would have to return back to reality. Switching off, taking off, and heading back to class.

This time, she had the misfortune of being late for his class, again.

"Miss Ling, please stay back after this lesson," he tried to adopt a stern tone. "I would like to have a word with you."

She complied and the class guffawed. _Surely, he wants more than a word…_

He turned back to the board to hide the glowing tint that was creeping out from his skin.

She dreaded the end of the lesson. Why had he asked her in front of everyone? Sure, he needed to assert his authority as a teacher but what had happened between them had nothing to do with the class. She picked at her fingernails throughout the entire hour.

He gave them an early release as the students filed out of the class. She had tried to escape too, unassumingly, but he pulled her back, initiating a few giggles from the other girls.

_Gossip spreads like wild fire._

And he had thought no one had seen them.

She sunk back in her seat as she immersed herself in the partakings of war-time heroes and criminals through a history book in her hand. It was to pass the awkwardness as she waited for all the students to leave.

The door snapped shut. She was alone with the person she felt the most uncomfortable with at the moment. She flipped another yellow eaten page, pretending not to notice anything. The words danced along the lines as she tried hard to concentrate.

A healthy white feather landed on her table. She went against her vow and looked up at the calm blues.

"So, I've got you attention at last." He gave a tiny smile.

She closed her book and placed it on the desk.

"Mai, what's been going on these past few weeks? I'm not only concerned about your work but I've been worried about you."

She made no reply and stared blankly at him.

"Don't do that. Why have you been avoiding me? Did I do something wrong? God, just say something!"

He grew even more exasperated when she still did not answer. He was just about to vocalise his frustrations when he spotted her wipe away a single tear that fell upon her face. It was such a quick movement that had he blinked, he would have surely missed it.

His heart softened. "Was it about that kiss?"

He touched her hand. She had an impulse to draw it away but it remained rooted there as it was.

"People talk, Warren. They're already questioning your bias," she whispered.

"That's absurd! Who's 'they'?"

She swallowed hard. "Erm, Jubes."

"Jubes?" He laughed softly. "She'll question anything. You really shouldn't waste –"

"No, Warren. It's not really about that."

"Then what is it?"

"I hardly know you, and you, me."

He titled her chin to face him. "What is there to know?"

It wasn't impulsive, it just felt right.

"I can't be with you, Warren." It came out pained. "I can't do this, I'm sorry."

She broke away from his touch and raced out of the classroom as fast as she could. Tears rolled down her face. She didn't look back.

----------------------------------

There was knocking on her door. "Hey, could I come in for a minute?"

She raised an eyebrow at the unfamiliar voice. Nevertheless, she let her in.

"Oh, it's you." She stared at her in surprise.

"Yeah. Er, we never got properly acquainted, did we?" She gave a nervous laugh. "I hope you don't mind."

"No, no, not at all. Are you alright? You look like a wreck."

"I'm ok. Just had a rough day."

"That makes two of us. Here, have a seat." She offered the side of the bed. The two girls sat down and an awkward silence developed.

Rouge took the initiative to break the ice. "So, I never got to know your powers. Which is weird. Jubes would have been raving to me about it by now."

"I preferred not to speak of it."

That was new. Usually the rest would have been glad to give theirs a little show.

"Well it couldn't possibly be any worse than mine."

"It's gone now, though," she added quietly.

Mai nodded in understanding. "You're not alone in this, Marie."

Her eyes lit up. "You mean there are others like me?"

"I knew two of them. Their abilities differ from yours but the basis of it was still the same."

Rogue motioned for her to speak on.

"There was Sang. Whenever she touched someone, she'd absorb the person's blood, like a leech."

Rogue's eyes widened at this fact. She beckoned Mai to continue.

"The other one was Kouga. She couldn't be with the man she loved, because everytime she was sexually aroused, her body emitted poisonous gas and her lips would fill itself with venom."

"That's terrible!" Rouge remarked. "What became of them?"

"They accepted it and carried on, I guess. Who knows what life has in store for them in the future? Maybe they'll learn to control it." Mai smiled. "It's never too late to hope, is it?"

"I guess you're right. I never saw it that way before."

"I didn't too, until I met them."

Rogue paused for a moment. "Mai, do you mind if I ask you something?"

"About?"

She hesitated. "About John."

"No problem. Shoot."

"Has he ever –

How is it that you guys are friends?" She pursed her lips. "I'm sorry. That came out all weird."

But Mai knew what she had meant to say. "He's a good person. He really is. He doesn't betray his friends."

_Not true at all_, Rogue thought.

She remembered him leaving in the jet-plane the other time and then almost doing it again, the other night, before she called him back. He had returned, looking at her once, then headed back to his room without a word. He never acknowledged her after that.

Hurt welled up within her.

"Then why did he betray me and Bobby?" She blurted out. "Blowing us off for the Brotherhood."

"There must have been another reason. It's not him to blindly do something like that."

"The only reason that makes sense to me is that he was too full of himself."

"Maybe that was half the reason."

"What's the other half?"

"I don't know. You'll have to find out for yourself."

Rogue sighed. "I wish it was simpler."

Mai patted her shoulder. "Just give it some thought. Like I said, John always has a complicated reason for doing things. If you found one that seems easy to accept, then it's probably not the main one."

"Well ill have to save the question on how you met John for another time then?"

"Yeah, I'd better get going." Mai stood up to leave.

Rogue showed her to the door. "Thanks for stopping by. I really enjoyed talking to you. I'm sorry we got off on a late start." She bit her lips. "I've had some problems."

"No worries. Just think about what I said and take care, ok?"

"Yeah, I will. Thanks. See ya then." She stretched out her hand to shake Mai's.

Suddenly, she felt that strong surge of energy in her palm again.

_No, this couldn't be happening!_

She quickly let go as Mai fell to the ground.

"Shut your eyes, now!" She gasped urgently before passing out.

Five seconds later, an ear-splitting scream could be heard throughout the hallways of the school.


	10. The Beginning

A/N: I don't know if this chappie is kinda rushed and soppy, but ahh the ever hopeless romantic. On another note, I've got 3 exams in a row up to November, just my bloody luck. So, I don't think I can update regularly for quite some time. Sorry!

Song reference:

The Cooper Temple Clause – Film-maker

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"Storm , what's happening to me! Why have I gotten them back? What the hell's wrong with me!"

She was hyperventilating. A tourniquet was bound around her eyes. They still hurt but it wasn't as bad as the last time.

She remembered the instant reaction: her eyes felt searing hot as though someone had placed fiery coals within them. She had screamed from the pain but luckily had shut them just as Mai had told her to. She wouldn't have been able to control it as Mai could do.

Now, her eyes felt as empty and cold as white-washed stones. She had wanted to pluck them out, they felt so foreign to her.

"Marie, you need to control your breathing. It's going to become a lot worse if you don't," Storm said firmly.

She tried to slow down her breathing pace but moments later, she'd break out again, like hives of rashes. She wheezed and sputtered as Storm tightened her clasp on her gloved hand.

She had to have to that sheath again.

_Untouchable._

"Breathe in," Storm instructed. "Breathe out."

"That's good Marie. You're doing fine."

"Now breathe in again."

"Breath out."

She blew the gust of warm air out of her mouth.

"Logan?"

"Yes, kid?"

He sounded weary.

She felt a sturdy hand on her shoulder, reassuring her.

"I'm untouchable again, aren't I?"

Her stomach churned at the prospects, which had already been set out so clearly. A small part of her felt at home embracing her old-self again.

The sturdy hand faltered a little but never lost its grip.

"I'm sorry, kid."

"Don't be." Her voice was hard and the angular features of her facial structure showed.

"The Cure was temporary. It's been on the news," Storm spoke again.

"Ok." She nodded. "Ok."

"I just want to be left alone for now."

Storm looked worriedly at Logan, concerned about the girl's safety. He motioned for her to do as Marie wished.

"Will Mai be alright?"

"Yes, she will be fine."

She finally knew what had been haunting Mai all along. The magnitude of destruction her eyes could cause.

To everything.

Something twisted and cruel awaited the unfortunate receiver.

_I'm not the only one who bears a curse_, she reminded herself.

* * *

It terrified her to be alone again.

_I need this, I need this_, she repeated over and over.

But what was the point?

She was always unhappy whether she had her powers or not.

"I'm untouchable," she quivered.

"No, you're not."

Startled, she accidentally tipped over the chair she was sitting on and stood up, shakily feeling her way around. She felt someone steadying her as she drew in the familiar scent.

"John?"

He had slipped in so quietly she did not even notice.

"Yes?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Holding you."

Paralysis struck her. She couldn't move and she didn't know what to say to him. His warm chest was against her back as he held her hands to her heart. They stayed there for a good ten minutes or so, not uttering a single word.

"Don't give up on yourself, Marie."

Never once since he stepped into school had he called her anything but her real name. Even in his anger, he had still given her her deserved identitly.

Not Rogue.

Not Bobby's girlfriend.

_Just Marie._

**Traitor! Coward! **He had said to her, but he didn't brand them as her names.

"Why?"

"Don't give up on us."

It sounded like her line.

_Us._

He used the word, _Us._

"It's already too late. I'm pathetic," she hinted.

He turned her around to face him.

"I loved you, Marie"

_I'd have lit the fires but I'd have pulled you out._

_I'd have set the traps but I'd have helped you out._

_I'd have made it perfect just for you._

"And then you did that. You surrendered everything like whatever I would have lived through with you didn't matter anymore."

There and then, he had offered the explanation. She didn't see his longing for her beneath the insults. When she went with Bobby, there was nothing to stay for. He couldn't have told her, it would have been selfish to. And hearing that she had gone for the Cure was like a slap to his face, a betrayal of everything he believed in. It had seemed to him that she had disregarded his cherish for her. She had given up on '_Us_'.

"How could I have known?"

She hugged him tightly, not wanting to lose him again.

"I don't know."

He traced the outlines of her fine hair. _I'm sorry, Marie._

_I'm so sorry._

"Is your elbow alright?"

_Sorry. _

_Sorry. _

_Sorry._

She sniffed. "Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about it."

_I'm so sorry._

"Ya…ya know, I didn't mean it when I said you were –"

"It's ok, John."

_I'm sorry._

_Dammit._

_How do I say this to you?_

_I'm sorry. Sorry. Sorry._

"I forgive you."

* * *

Her eyes flickered open. The monitor screen graphed and beeped in front of her monotonously. Its green lines followed a constant pattern.

She sensed a slight discomfort in her left hand. Turning, she saw a single tube protruding out from her vein under her translucent skin. Her other was given a small squeeze.

"Hey." It came as soft as rain.

"Hi." She smiled weakly. "How's Marie?"

"She's fine. Storm said you'll be alright with some rest."

She tried to get up but he wouldn't let her. "Don't, you need to recover."

"Stop telling me what I need to do," she snapped. Then, she looked down, knowing the hurt she had caused him.

She knew that he knew already.

_Everything._

_Almost._

Her eyes stung as hot tears flowed freely from them.

He didn't know what to do for a second, whether to touch her or not. Would she shun him again?

Finally, he ignored it and dried her tears gently.

"So now you know what a curse I am."

"Don't say that."

"It's true."

"No, it's not."

He knelt down beside her.

"These eyes…all they're good for, is death. It's sick! Perverted!" She shuddered uncontrollably.

He caressed her face.

"Those eyes have made me pray that I'd see you again sooner, whenever you leave me. And just to watch them glitter in the shifting light satisfies all the agony of the long wait."

"Have you been staring at them a lot?"

"Yes." He blushed. "They're the most gorgeous eyes I've ever seen in my entire life."

She took his hand away.

"They can kill you."

He grew bold. "Then, I'd say, it's worth it."

"You don't know what you're talking about," she whispered. "I loathe them. I loathe them so much."

"You see these wings?"

He purposely spread them out and leant in closer to Mai. She marveled at its magnificence, unable to resist reaching out to touch them. They fluttered a little under her hand, tickling her as she smiled.

"You like them?" He asked, sadly.

"Of course. They're so beautiful. I hope you don't mind?"

She retracted her hand a bit in caution.

He placed it back on the softer spots of his wings. "No, I don't."

She ran her hand gently against its delicate roots, causing his body to shiver. It felt strangely delightful. He made her keep her hand there.

"But I used to."

"Why? They don't hurt anyone."

"It hurt my dad. It hurt him to see his perfect son ruined by…this."

He closed his wings and his head hung low.

"He was everything to me, you know. His philosophy was my philosophy. His dreams were my dreams. Everything. And all that came crashing down the day he saw this."

He plucked a feather and crushed it in his palm.

"Don't, Warren!" Mai urgently tried to pry open his fingers, but to no avail.

He ignored her. "Such a failure, huh?"

His eyes began to water.

She shook her head vigourously. "You are your own person, Warren. Not your father."

"It doesn't matter!" He answered severely. "I hated myself, my wings, everything."

He turned towards her. "And now, I see you doing this to yourself. It hurts me to look at you, living with that burden I carried, the same mistake I had made. I hate seeing you suffer so much, Mai."

He hesitated, uncertain if he should carry on and what reaction he'd expect from her.

"What is it?"

"I do this, because…I love you."

She was ousted by her naivety, but she understood him. She could feel the pain he went through and the pain he was still going through now. But her pain was the only thing that he saw.

"Warren…" she called softly.

"I know it's brash and too soon to say so, but I really feel that way about you, Mai."

"Warren…" she called again.

"Yeah?" He answered.

"Do you still hate them?"

He stiffened. "Sometimes."

She got up slowly from the recovery table. He was tempted to put her back down again but saw the refusal in her eyes.

"Don't," she responded. "Don't hate them."

He glanced at her wearily. "Why?"

She kissed his back and both wings, making him shiver and gasp in surprise again. Then, she faced him and tiptoed to make up for her lack of height.

She spoke into his ear, "Because, I love you."

"Not your father. Not anyone else."

She traced his jaw tenderly.

"Just you, Warren."

With that, she imparted her final kiss onto his mouth, allowing him to taste her sugary lips once more.

* * *

In the dead of the night, Logan stirred.

_Something wasn't right._

He could sense it. Sniffing the air, he drew his covers and cracked his head twice to wake himself up.

_The gates, bub. Go check the gates._

He made his way silently and stealthily towards the entrance of the building.

"So, you've adopted a penchant for sneaking out of school too?"

He whipped his head around to face his opponent, armed with his metal claws.

She smiled mockingly at him.

"Ororo!" He yelped. "Don't do that to me!"

"Well, someone's getting jumpy." She just couldn't resist.

"I could've hurt you." He tried to defend himself and his pride.

"Oh, I'm sure you would have." Her lighting eyes appeared for a second. "Would you mind telling me what little boy scouts game you are up to at this hour?"

A creaking sound came from the gates' hinges as the wind howled. Dried leaves fluttered onto the pavement they were standing on.

Logan motioned for her to follow him silently, indicating that there could be something awaiting them near the borders of the school. Inching closer, he could make out the fuzzy silhouettes of two lone shadows by the gates. They seemed malformed and ugly. But they just stayed there, doing nothing.

Logan cocked his eyebrow, obviously puzzled by this.

Suddenly, Storm stopped dead in her tracks.

"Moira?"


	11. Changes

* * *

A/N: I wrote this chapter a really, really long time ago, before I lost momentum and stopped completely. Just thought I had to get it out of my system and put it up here, even though this fanfic seems to be long gone.

Song reference:

Beck – Think I'm In Love

--

"Professor, are you sure?" Ororo looked doubtfully upon this frail man in front of her.

His sunken cheekbones and the constant breathless inhaling through the oxygen mask which supported his lifeline, disturbed her greatly. It didn't seem like the Professor she once knew. But his eyes wizened with age, comforting her.

"Why yes, of course. I must address the students."

Moira had patiently tried to nurse the man back to health, to the best of her abilities. But with someone who was on the verge of euthanasia, this was as much as she could do. She had sent him here, his rightful home, but refused to stay, for she had some pressing matters to attend to.

Obviously, Storm and Logan were as shocked as she was at the time when she had discovered the uncanny yet intelligent move Charles Xavier had pulled off once again, to save himself. It was still a little overwhelming for them.

For about a year, they had gone without the Professor, grieved for him, carried on and such. Then, miraculously and suddenly, he appears right on their doorstep, with an entirely different physique. It was weird, but they were glad inside.

"I heard there were some surprises in my absence." He smiled kindly, breaking Storm's reverie.

"What? Oh, yes. Pyro has been a tough one to handle."

"Ah, still the old rebel, eh?" He chuckled to himself.

"We'd better get moving, Wheels," Logan remarked curtly.

He pushed the wheelchair out into the open lawn, past the sea of wide-eyed children. Storm motioned for them to shush as the Professor made his speech.

He spoke about how he had managed to keep himself alive through the transference of molecules, all so abstract that the little ones had trouble understanding.

They furrowed their eyebrows and cocked their heads, with their mouths hanging agape as the Professor patiently answered each and every one of their questions. The others were getting restless.

Finally, he ended the informal meeting and allowed them to resume their daily activities. Many of them came forth to hug him or shake his hand. Tears of joy and relief showered their faces.

Then, he requested for those who had joined the school in his absence to stay behind.

"Including you, John," he rasped in his dry, crackly voice, when he noticed the hot-headed blonde trying to sneak off.

Pyro gave a half-assed smile as he sat beside Mai.

"This is gonna be long, you might wanna borrow someone's Ipod," he yawned.

Mai pursed her lips as her eyes twinkled and she shook her head.

"Suit yourself," he shrugged. "As for me, I'm going to – "

"John, welcome back." The Professor beamed warmly. "You do know, that whatever decision you make in your life, major or minor, this place would still be open to you."

_Long-winded shit._

He thought he saw the Professor's eye twitch.

"You have a great gift."

_Oh so he's finally admitting I'm a God?_

"And I would like to see that you use it wisely." The Professor added in a more serious tone.

"Anything else?" He challenged.

"What else would you like me to tell you, John?"

"That ... you're, ... my, ... father?"

Only Mai caught the joke instantly as she lightly punched Pyro's shoulder.

"Cut it out," she whispered as she bit her lip to try to stop herself from laughing. "That was so lame. I can't believe you!"

The Professor looked at them, clearly amused.

He shifted his gaze to Mai.

"Mai Ling," he called out to her gently.

"Yes?" Her sharp eyes whizzed in his direction and pierced his own.

"How are you taking to the school?" He appeared to be concerned about her welfare.

"Thank you."

It was all she said. And it wasn't even a direct answer.

Yet, the Professor nodded. "I will see to it that your stay here will be a comfortable one."

He paused. "Perhaps you may like to pay a morning visit to me, twice a week, before your lessons start. We could work on your gift."

"Shrink appointments." Pyro grinned.

"Gift?" Mai sputtered. She felt she hadn't heard him quite correctly.

"Yes, Mai Ling. They are all gifts, no matter how others, or ourselves even, think of them."

_Hers was hardly a gift. _

_Hers was hardly a gift._

_**Hers was not a gift.**_

Her mind whirled as her eyes began to water. She felt a hand on her shoulder, which slid down to her own.

_John._

He clasped it tightly to give her his support.

She swallowed hard. "You are right, Professor. It is my gift."

The old man smiled, noticing that their hands never let go.

* * *

"Do we always have to do this?" Pyro sighed as he ran his fingers through her hair.

She didn't reply. Instead, she continued to nibble at her sandwich in silence.

"How long?"

"I don't know."

"Look, you told me yourself, you didn't care about him anymore. So why are we doing this?"

"I don't know, John." Her voice hardened. "I don't think the world is ready for us yet."

"Fuck the world," he snapped angrily.

He just couldn't comprehend why they needed to be in-hiding all the time, away from the others, in this secluded section of the school. Why couldn't they just show themselves, instead of acting like cowards. Why should they care what the bloody world thought of them?

"People don't forget easily."

"So what? Do I look like I give a shit?"

"Bobby's still your friend, ya know."

"Huh?"

It stunned him. But every word she had said was true. The boys hated each other's guts, no doubt. However, he realised he did miss Bobby after all, during his stint at the Brotherhood.

It was an inkling of a feeling, but it had surprised him that it even existed. He had never thought much of the Iceman before. That time when he met him outside the Labs, he swore he could see the hurt in Bobby's eyes.

_That stupid, whiny bitch._

Then, once more, during their fight at Alcatraz. His eyes had oozed of "Please, don't do this," before it even began, which changed to anger in the pained "You never should've left," knowing that he could never accept him anymore.

"You heard me." She turned her head towards him, acknowledging his presence for once.

He sat down beside her and held her close to him.

"As a friend, I think it's better if he knew." She snuggled up against his chest.

"He already does."

Pyro bolted up and faced the not-so-foreign voice.

"Bobby."

"John." He mimicked.

Rogue was too shocked to speak. She eyed Bobby cautiously.

"How did you find us?"

"That really isn't the question, is it?"

"Whatever, man. She's with me now."

"I can see that," he spat. "John, what were you thinking?"

"Don't blame him for this," Rogue warned.

He waved her words away, irritated by her intrusion. This was between John and him. "Running off and joining the Brotherhood!" He shook his head in disappointment.

The two opposite him exchanged looks, surprised that there wasn't any "After all I've done for you, Marie, this is how you repay me," rants. Was it all a farce?

"Dude, chill," Pyro advised, suspiciously.

Bobby laughed at the irony of his words. "Look, she's with you now, what am I supposed to do?"

"What?" Rogue exclaimed. "That's it?" She couldn't believe he had just shrugged her off like that and let them off so easily.

"I believe so," Pyro smirked.

"Don't you dare hurt her," Bobby added, as though reciting one of his conditions.

"But you like Kitty!" Rogue blurted.

Pyro whistled. "Woah, Iceman. Thought you had higher standards than that furball."

"Shut up John." He turned towards to Rogue. "Fine, we're even then."

At this, she appeared to be insulted. Pyro rubbed her back sympathetically.

"And me, am I accepted into your pretentious clique now, rich boy?"

"John, how many times do I have to tell you that – "

"Yeah, whatever," he snorted. "So I'm guessing that's a yes then?"

Bobby kicked the ground in exasperation and looked away. "I could've made this a lot harder for you, you know," he spoke through gritted teeth.

"You never would've," Pyro stated as a matter-of-fact.

"Don't push it." He stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I'm outta here." Then, he took off, seemingly satisfied with himself.

Pyro proceeded to wrap his arm around Rogue's waist. "So you ready for the world now, babe?"

Before she could pull away, he gave her a quick kiss. There was a nasty tingle on his lips, but he didn't mind.

"Mmm ... I feel warm."

He smiled at her reply. "I always do."

* * *

"Mr. Worthington!" Jubilee squealed.

"Oh, just Warren would do."

Mai looked up from her lunch at all the fuss.

"Would you like us to evacuate the table for you and Mai?"

"Er – "

"We all know and respect the term 'privacy'," she rattled on.

"Actually – "

"It's perfectly fine. No worries about it!"

"But – "

"Oh, for Pete's sake!" With that, she shooed Kitty and Siryn away from the table as the trio crossed over to another bench and watched on from there.

Angel sat down next to Mai. "Just wanted to hand you back your assignment."

He passed her a set of stapled papers. "Not bad," he added with encouragement.

"Couldn't you have done this in class?" Mai questioned.

"Well, I always believe in the personal touch." His feathers tickled her arm as he said that.

She wriggled and laughed. "Bullshit."

"Oh really?" He kissed her cheek.

"Warren, we're in public," she hinted urgently.

How else could he show her he loved her?

The past few nights he had been up, lying down on the wooden floor, whilst Beck played on the radio. Thinking about her. Thinking about getting her something she wanted. The feelings he couldn't seem to control.

He boldly left a trail of kisses on her neck.

"This is too inappropriate," she pleaded.

He stopped himself from going further. "Sorry," he muttered.

_I really think I better get a hold of myself_

_Don't wanna let the night get ahead of myself_

_Whisperin' her love through a smoke ring smile_

_She doesn't know what happens when she's around_

_I think I'm in love_

_But it makes me kinda nervous to say so_

She placed her hand over his. "It's ok."

There was an awkward pause.

"I was wondering if you'd like to accompany me to the sessions I have with the Professor?"

"Are you sure?" He knew that she had just entrusted him with so much. All her skeletons in the closet would be revealed in those meetings.

"I'd feel better if you are with me."

"Then, I'll be right there beside you." He reassured her before excusing himself for another class.

The next minute she knew, the trio had found their way back to the table. They could hardly contain their excitement.

"So girl, spill!"


End file.
